Gstaad is famous for the celebrities who have visited the resort over the decades, including Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Roger Moore, Grace Kelly, Roger Federer and John Travolta.

Skiing in Gstaad

Gstaad is a popular destination for luxury skiing holidays with a distinct Alpine feel. It has the only glacier ski region in the Bernese Oberland, which can be enjoyed from the end of October through to the start of May.

The resort has 220 km of slopes, which are weighted in favour of beginners. The main mountain is the Wispile, which has a few blue, red and black runs, including an easy slope at the top that can be accessed via a gondola.

Further skiing is available in the ski centres that line the surrounding valleys, including Saanen, Rougemont and two other ski areas near Chateau d'Oex. All of these can be accessed on a single pass.

The biggest lift-linked sector on the same pass includes Schönried, Saanenmoser and Zweissimen in one valley, while the next valley has Gryon, Les Mosses, Les Diablerets, Leysin and Villars in the Alpes Vaudoises. The Diablerets glacier offers high-altitude skiing including a 14 km run that descends for 1,650 m.

Night-time skiing and snowboarding can be enjoyed on Wispile and Rinderberg, while Rinderberg is also home to a permanent 520 m ski-cross run that can be used by everyone. Other activities in Gstaad include cross-country skiing, tobogganing, hiking and snowshoeing.